


Vacation

by peskylilcritter



Series: pesky birthday gifts [5]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-25
Updated: 2017-02-25
Packaged: 2018-09-26 21:20:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,693
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9922589
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/peskylilcritter/pseuds/peskylilcritter
Summary: Now that the war is over Obi-Wan desperately needs a vacation so he goes to see old friends in the new clone colony.





	

**Author's Note:**

> alright this is the fifth time i tried to upload this bc my internet is sometimes really shitty. *crosses fingers and prays to the Force* please work this time
> 
> also, this fic (and the sequels i may one day write) is nicknamed obiwan on planet clone.

Coral turns away from his station and says, “Hey, Jinx, go find Commander Cody. I think he needs to see this.”

Jinx rolls his eyes and walks over to look at Coral’s screen. “Yeah, that’s what you said the last three- Oh. I’ll be right back.”

Coral watches him go, smug and satisfied, until the console beeps at him. “Back to work, then.”

*

The planet looks to be mostly water, with large forestcovered landmasses and several groups of tiny islands.

Obi-Wan heads for the largest group of islands, sending an ID code and all clear message ahead.

It’s too quiet. He keeps expecting Cody to appear at his elbow, or Anakin’s voice making some terrible joke, keeps waiting for his comm to crackle to life.

Of course, the quiet won’t last much longer, and if the Force is with him, he’ll see Cody again before the day is over.

*

Cody watches the starfighter land from the edge of the tiny airfield.

He knows who it is, of course, but why? Why would Kenobi come here? Why now?

It takes longer than it should for the canopy to open. Cody gets tenser with every second that passes.

Kenobi squints at the bright sunlight as he climbs out, then spots Cody and starts to smile.

“General!” Cody calls, walking closer. “What brings you here?”

“Commander! It’s good to see you.” Behind Kenobi the astromech disconnects from the starfighter, flies upwards and lands beside him, beeping madly. Cody can’t make out the meaning but it makes Kenobi smile.

Cody stops slightly more than an arm’s length away and repeats his question. “Not to imply that you’re not welcome here, sir, but why are you here?”

Kenobi loses the smile, sighing. “I’m on vacation, Cody. That’s all.”

“Well, in that case, how do you feel about a tour?”

Kenobi grins. “That sounds wonderful.”

*

Cody shows him the mess hall – “One of three scattered around this settlement. Some of the other settlements have opened restaurants and grocery stores but we’re not there yet.” – the med-center – “Frequently in use,” Cody says dryly. “Although most of us have figured out not to wield drills and nail guns like blasters.” – one of the communal living areas – “We’ve got some smaller houses up, but a lot of us haven’t even figured out where and with whom we want to live.” – and finally, a small house.

“Home, sweet home,” Cody says, smiling a little. “It’s just Rex and I right now, but we’ve got a few empty rooms and I don’t think we’ll be alone very long.”

Obi-Wan looks around at the small garden, the trees behind the house, listens to the sounds of living things and nothing else. “No, I don’t think you will be.”

They stand there in silence for a few minutes before Cody shakes himself and says, “Come on. Let’s go surprise Rex.”

*

Rex is asleep in a chair that looks handmade when they walk into the central room. A datapad lays on his chest, and Obi-Wan notices a small shelf with more pads and a handful of books mounted on the wall next to the chair.

To the left of the front door is a small kitchen, completely lacking in appliances with the exception of a refrigerator.

Cody’s walked over to Rex while Obi-Wan was looking around and is trying to wake him. “Wake up, Rex. We’ve got a visitor.”

Rex grumbles and swats Cody’s hand away. “F’g off. ‘m sleepin.”

“So you don’t mind if I tell him about the thing with the nail gun?”

“What?” Rex finally opens his eyes to glare at Cody, squinting in the light. Obi-Wan can see the exact moment he notices Obi-Wan because he stops trying to grab Cody’s arm and just stares.

“Hello, Rex. It’s good to see you.”

“Cody,” Rex says, not looking away, “hold that.” He shoves the datapad at Cody and gets up, takes three steps and then he’s hugging Obi-Wan tightly. “It’s good to see you too.”

*

The three of them eat dinner together, on the floor around a low table. It’s a quiet meal, and oddly familiar for all that they’ve never done this before, just the three of them. Whenever Obi-Wan had the time to sit down for a meal, he went to the mess, like everyone else.

“So,” Cody says eventually, “you never actually told me why you’re here.”

“I’m on vacation. I did say that.”

“Yeah.” Cody waves his fork in the air. “But why here and why now?”

He and Rex are both watching Obi-Wan curiously.

Obi-Wan sighs. “The Council insisted that I need time off. I considered going to Naboo to see Anakin, but in all honesty, I’m not ready.” Obi-Wan hesitates, looking down at the table. “I… I realized some time ago that I missed you. All of you, but you two especially.”

After a long silence in which Obi-Wan stares at his food, Rex says, “We missed you too.”

*

Cody shows him to a small bedroom after dinner and cleanup. There’s a bed and nothing else, but in that moment, it’s the best bedroom Obi-Wan has ever been in.

“We’re just down the hall if anything’s wrong,” Cody says, hovering in the door.

He keeps wanting to end his sentences with ‘sir’, Obi-Wan can’t help but notice. It’s probably good that he doesn’t.

Obi-Wan turns to smile at him. “Thank you, Cody. Have a good night, both of you.”

Cody nods. “And you.” Then he steps back and closes the door, leaving Obi-Wan alone with his bed.

For the first time in months, possibly years, Obi-Wan falls asleep as soon as he lies down, and doesn’t wake until morning.

*

There’s a bird singing right outside his window.

Obi-Wan cracks his eyes open to glare at the pale light. Singing, he thinks, is an extremely charitable thing to call it. Perhaps the problem is with his human ears; to him it sounds more like horrific screeching.

Well, nothing to be done, so he may as well get up.

Cody is in the kitchen when Obi-Wan walks in, hunched over a mug of something hot. Probably strong caf, knowing Cody.

He squints at Obi-Wan, then points silently at a cupboard and returns his focus to his caf. Must be his first mug then.

There’s tea in the cupboard. Obi-Wan blinks a few times against the ridiculous tears trying to escape him. He smiles as he takes his first sip, and relaxes, savoring the heat and flavor.

Bird or no bird, this is the best morning he’s had in- Well, more years than he cares to count.

Cody pours himself a second mug of caf and manages a small smile. Yes. This is a wonderful way to start the day.

*

Ahsoka doesn’t immediately recognize the clone who greets her when she lands, which isn’t surprising, but she was hoping Rex might be there.

“Commander Tano,” the clone says. “My name is Coral. May I ask the reason for your visit?”

“I thought I sent a message ahead?” Ahsoka says, suddenly worried.

Coral nods. “I know. But if anyone besides the General knows what was in it, I haven’t heard.”

“Oh. Well, I’m here to check on Master Kenobi. Can you tell me where he is?”

Coral grins. “Sure. I’ll take you there.”

Something about his expression makes her wary, but really, Ahsoka can’t imagine it’s anything dangerous.

*

There’s nothing dangerous about this, unless genitalia counts.

Master Obi-Wan and several clones are playing some kind of game in a lake, and none of them have bothered with swimwear.

Ahsoka turns to Coral, pointedly raising a brow. “Did you think I’d get all flustered because they’re naked?”

Coral shrugs. “Most people do, even Jedi.”

“Really? I’m going to want to hear all about that later, alright?” She waits for Coral to nod before turning to the lake. “Master Obi-Wan!” she shouts.

He turns to look and catches the ball they’ve been throwing around with the back of his head, falling forward and coming up spluttering.

Ahsoka swallows her laughter and waits patiently for Master Obi-Wan to walk out of the lake and wrap a towel around himself.

“Ahsoka,” he says, smiling, and reaches out as if to hug her. That’s… definitely weird behavior for him. “How have you been?” He drops his hands when she doesn’t react.

“I’ve been pretty busy. How are you?”

“Never better,” he says, “Come on, let’s go somewhere we can talk.”

*

It’s a nice little house, if not what she would’ve pictured for Master Obi-Wan. There’s an unfinished painting on one of the living room walls that draws her attention.

Ahsoka goes to take a closer look while Master Obi-Wan makes tea.

“I’m afraid we don’t have milk. Will sugar do?” he asks.

Ahsoka shrugs. “Sure.”

When the tea is ready they sit on cushions scattered around a low table. “Ahsoka,” he asks, “why are you here?”

“The Council want to know when you’re coming home. And since you keep replying to their messages with ‘Not yet.’ and nothing else, they decided someone should check up on you.” She lifts her chin a little. “I volunteered.”

He hums and sips at his tea. He’s never resembled Master Yoda more than in this moment.

“I’m not coming home,” he says after a long silence. “Or rather, I am home. I’m not returning to the Temple.”

“But,” Ahsoka begins.

He shakes his head. “Don’t. There’s nothing you could say to change my mind.”

He’s finished nearly his entire cup of tea before Ahsoka comes up with something to say. “Will you tell me why?”

“I sleep here. I mean, I can sleep. The nightmares are rare and so is the insomnia. I haven’t enjoyed food this much in years. Pin says that according to my records I haven’t been this healthy in over a decade. But most importantly, Ahsoka, I’ve never felt this loved, or this safe.”

*

Ahsoka stay until the next morning and leaves Obi-Wan with the first hug they’ve ever shared.

*

It takes Rex a week to notice the familiar white and blue pattern in Obi-Wan’s painting. He grins at it, and goes to find Obi-Wan to cuddle.


End file.
